Spark arrester



May 23, 1933. J. SLQCUM 1,910,817

SPARK ARRESTER Filed Sept. 6. 1952 A tlorney Patented May 23, 1933 PATENT OFFICE JAMES sLocUM, or nnrnoir, MICHIGAN SPAR-K AenEsrEa Application fi led September 6, 1932. Serial No. 631,847.

A furtherobject of the inclined side walls My invention relates to a spark arrester to be installed on the top of a chimney orsmoke stack,which while not restricting the draft, is designed to prevent the escapeof sparks or hot cinders that might alight upon combustible roofing, and thereby ignite the same and thus cause a very disastrous fire. It is well known that the annual fire loss resulting from sparks or burning embers falling from chimneys, is enormous and while this is particularly true of forced draft furnaces, it is also-true of wood or coal burning stoves, and furnaces,especially on farms where means for fighting fires is more or less limited.

It is well known that a creosote substance isconstantly forming in stove pipesand chimneys, coating the walls of pipes and f chimneys, until as a result of an unusually hot fire the creosote coating is ignited,whereupon due to increased draft, hot embers and sparks are emitted through the chimney, falling therefrom upon the roofofthe building and other adjacent structures, thus often resulting in a serious conflagration.

It is the object therefore of the present invention to construct a fora-ruinous device whichmay be secured at the top of the chimney in any suitable manner, in which the draft openings are preferably of a lozenge 0 or rhombic formation, the wall of the metallic fabric surrounding the openings being inclined inwardly in order that sparks striking the metallic frame bounding the lozengeshaped openings, will be deflected inwardly, so that embers or sparks may drop down wardly within the chimney,-the draft however passing readily through the lozengeshaped openings.

A further object of the invention is to pro- 0 vide a substantially arc-shaped hood constructed of similar foraminous material, which is secured to the end walls of the structure by spot-welding or other suitable means, -the side walls of the hood portion being inclined toward each other but spaced apart to provide a longitudinal central opening beneath the arc-shaped hood ;-the walls being spaced at eachside from the inclined side walls of the body portion to provide free lateral exits for draft.

therewith,

of the hood is to direct any sparks or relatively large embers that may rise above the inclinedwalls downwardly and inwardly into the chimney opening.

VVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention further resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changesmay be made in the precise embodiment of the inventionherein disclosed withoutdeparting fromthe spirit of the same.

In the drawing accompanying this specificat1on:

Figure lis a diagrammatical perspective view of the sparkarrester, mounted upon the top of a chimney. 1

Figure 2is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through the metal fabric, forming the spark arrester, showing the inclined marginal frame-work which bounds its lozengeshaped openings.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the metal fabric, showing the skeleto-nized marginal inclined frame bounding its lozengeshaped openings, the arrows indicatingthe manner in which said- *skeletoni zed inclined frame-work serves to deflect inwardly and;

downwardly sparks or embers contacting Figure 4 is a vertical, diagrammatical, cross-sectional vlew of the structureshown in Figure 1, showing its, overhanging cap or :1 hood, with its inwardly and downwardly directedqside walls,: spaced from the inclined upwardly directed walls of the body of the structure ;-.-the arrows indicating. the manner in which sparks are deflected inwardly and downwardly by the inclinedskeletonized frame of the structure bounding the lozengeshaped openings.

Referring now to the letters of reference placedupon the drawing: e

A denotes a chimney, B the spark arrester in its entirety, secured by suitable anchoring means C to the walls of thechimney.

The walls forming the foralninous structure are preferably bent to provide a plurality of lozenge-shaped openings E, the walls D bounding said openings being inclined upwardly to direct the air passing laterally through the openings to increase the draft and inwardly to deflect sparks, cinders or the like downwardly and inwardly that they may not escape through the lozengeshapeddraft openings to cause roof or other fires,-the required draft not being impaired by the size or form of the egress openings of the structure.

While the structure may be of any suitable configuration, that shown in the drawing has been found desirable. I p

The side walls F, F of the device rise vertic'ally for a suitable distance and are then inclined in a roof-like form F inwardly and thence upwardly as denoted at F rovidin a longitudinalcentral opening G extending from end to end of the structure.

H, H are end walls which may extend slightly above the top of the side Walls, through this is not material.

Covering the central opening G is a substantially arc-shaped cap or hood I, which viewed in cross-section, will be seen to have inwardly and downwardly inclined walls I ,''sp'a'ced from the side walls F of the body to provide an unobstructed opening J, at each side of the structure. The inclined walls I of the cap or hood, serve to direct any sparks or cinders coming in contact with the foraminat'ed hood inwardly and downwardly into the chimney opening, thus preventing their escape which otherwise might cause a cohflagration.

Great care has been taken in designing the foraminous structure to provide for a maximum draft, while guarding the escape of sparks, cinders or the like. V

The device is simple and inexpensive in construction, and'very 'efii'cient in the pre cvention of fires.

wardly and thence upwardly in spaced relation to form a longitudinal opening extending centrally between the end walls of the structure; a foraminous hood member provided with downwardly and inwardly incline-d side Walls spaced from the upper margin of the side walls of the body structure to provide unobstructed lateral draft openings, whereby hot embers or sparks deflected by the top of the hood structure onto the side walls oft-he hood structure may be directed thence downwardly into the chimney open- A spark arrester adapted to be mounted over a chimney opening comprising vertical side and end walls, formed of expanded sheet metal bounding a plurality of draft openings, the upper longitudinal members of the frame, bounding said several draft openings being inclined, thereby increasing the draft resulting from the passage of air laterally and upwardly through the draft openings and whereby sparks and cinders rising from the chimney will be deflected inwardly and downwardljy into the chimney opening; the upper portion of the opposing vertical side walls being inclined inwardly and thence upwardly in vertical parallel relation, said walls being spaced apart to form a longitudinal opening extending centrally between the end walls of the structure; and a fora'minous hood member having downwardly and inwardly inclined side walls spaced from the upper margin of the vertical side walls of the body structure to provide unobstructed lateral draft opening's through the side walls, whereby hot ember's or sparks deflected by the top of the hood structure may be directed downwardly into the chimney opening In testimony whereof, I sign this specification. I 7

JAMES SLOCUM.

Having thus described my invention, what maycrop downwardly into the chimney' opening. 7

'2. A spark arrester adapted to be mounted over a chimney opening consisting of a fomminous body formed of sheet metal comprising side and end walls, consisting of a skeletoniz-ed frame of expanded metal, bounding a plurality of draft openings, with the upper part of each sidewall inclined in- 

